UNIMA (Union Internationale de la Marionnette) is an international Non-Governmental Organisation bringing together people from around the world who contribute to the development of the art of puppetry, with the objective of using this art in the pursuit of human values such as peace and mutual understanding between peoples, regardless of race, political or religious convictions and differences in culture, in accordance with the respect of fundamental human rights, such as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations of December 10th, 1948.

The aim of UNIMA is to promote the art of puppetry. This aim can be achieved in the following ways:

1) By encouraging contacts and exchanges between puppeteers from all nations and continents, using all possible means of communication;

3) By assisting members of the Organisation in assuring their democratic, union, financial and legal interests in the framework of their professional activities, notably through recommendations or proposals to the competent authorities;

4) By encouraging professional training;

5) By extending historical, theoretical and scientific research;

6) By keeping alive traditions, as well as encouraging the renewal of puppetry;

7) By proposing puppetry as a means for ethical and aesthetic education;

8) By participating in the work of international organisations with similar objectives.

STRUCTURE OF UNIMA

The Congress:
The supreme body of UNIMA, it is composed of elected Councillors and all the members of the Union who may be present. Only the Councillors, however, have the right to vote. It meets at least once every four years.The Council:
It is made up of the Councillors of every member country, democratically elected before each Congress, also of accredited Representatives and ten supplementary Councillors elected at the Congress. It meets every two years, one of these outside Congress.The Executive Committee, the President, the Secretary General:
The Executive Committee manages the affairs of UNIMA between each Congress. The President is also President of the Council The Secretary General is responsible for contacts and international information, for the organization of the work of the Executive Committee and for finances.

National Centres and Representatives

An UNIMA National Centre may be established in two different ways:
1) By at least ten members (individual or collective) from a Country;
2) By a national puppetry organisation already in existence.

The General Secretary can appoint a UNIMA Representative in a Country with no National Centre. A Representative is above all a temporary contact of UNIMA and has the following functions: To develop links between puppeteers of his/her Country with the aim of creating a National Centre; To maintain a permanent link with the General Secretariat.
Only one National Centre can exist per Country. The Centre may consist of regional sections. A demand for the establishment of a National centre must be addressed to the Executive Committee for approval.
Each National Centre develops its work on the basis of its own Statutes. It must be in touch with the General Secretariat and must carry out the decisions made by the international bodies of UNIMA.